KCR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0
The Kowloon-Canton Railway class of ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 was a class of 12 steam locomotives, ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0. Unlike other KCR locomotives, they apparently did not receive a class letter designation.
At the end of the war several WD Austerity 2-8-0s were in store at the Longmoor Military Railway and 12 were bought by the Crown Agents. They were overhauled at Royal Woolwich Arsenal and despatched from Tilbury and King George V Docks in 1946 and 1947 as shipping became available.
In Hong Kong, the livery was green with white smokebox doors, numbers on cabsides, smokebox doors and tender sides.
Nos 21-5 were converted to oil firing. Hulson grates were fitted to the remainder. 25 was later converted back to coal firing. They were replaced by diesels and fell out of use before withdrawal. All were scrapped.
Details were as follows:
KCR No. | Former WD No. | Built | Builder | Works No. | Despatched | Landed Kowloon | Out of service | Withdrawn |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | 78660 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 4496 | 1947 | March 1948 | June 1956 | August 1957 |
22 | 77268 | 1944 | North British (Hyde Park) | 25313 | 1946 | December 1946 | June 1958 | August 1959 |
23 | 70805 | 1944 | North British (Queens Park) | 5061 | 1946 | January 1947 | May 1956 | August 1957 |
24 | 77509 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 24898 | 1946 | August 1947 | September 1955 | August 1957 |
25 | 77490 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 25040 | 1946 | August 1947 | December 1960 | March 1962 |
26 | 77478 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 4994 | 1946 | February 1947 | September 1962 | May 1963 |
27 | 77269 | 1944 | North British (Hyde Park) | 5025 | 1946 | December 1946 | April 1957 | August 1957 |
28 | 70820 | 1944 | North British (Queens Park) | 25039 | 1946 | December 1946 | May 1956 | August 1957 |
29 | 78694 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 5060 | 1947 | March 1948 | May 1955 | August 1957 |
30 | 77450 | 1943 | Vulcan Foundry | 5006 | 1946 | February 1947 | August 1957 | August 1957 |
31 | 78659 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 5095 | 1947 | March 1948 | September 1962 | March 1963 |
32 | 79237 | 1944 | Vulcan Foundry | 5180 | 1947 | March 1948 | December 1956 | August 1959 |
References
- Tourret. Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War.